Resiliency in Divorced Families

Abstract

The aim of this cross-sectional and exploratory study was to identify resiliency factors that are associated with family adaptation after divorce. Questionnaires (The Family Hardiness Index, The Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales, The Relative and Friend Support Index, The Social Support Index, The Family Sense of Coherence Scale) and an open-ended question were used to collect data independently from parents and children belonging to 68 divorced families in Belgium. Results indicate that there is a significant positive correlation between the three components of family hardiness (commitment, challenge, and control—according to the parents) and the family's adaptation to its changed circumstances. There are also positive correlations for both parents and children between the positive redefining of stressful situations by the family, the social support of the family, and the family's adaptation after divorce. According to the children there are also significant positive relationships between the family's use of avoidance strategies, the parents' educational level, the number of years that the parent had been divorced, and the family's adaptation.     

Parental Authority in Divorced Families

This work examines the possible differences between divorced mothers and mothers of intact families in their inclinations to exert parental authority, and the possible relationship between the degree of parental authority and children's personal and social adjustment. For the purposes of the study, we developed the Haifa Parental Authority Questionnaire, which is a situation-depicted test based on a conceptual analysis of the construct of authority. The participants were 88 mother–child dyads, 56 from single (divorced) families and 32 from two-parent families. The results show that married mothers are more disposed than are divorced mothers to use their authority. Although adding family status and parental authority scores to the regression analysis yielded insignificant models for the two children's adjustment variables, the interaction between the variables was found to be significant. In the divorced family the more authoritarian the mother is, the worse is the child's personal adjustment, whereas in the intact family the more authoritarian the mother is, the better is the child's social adjustment. The results are discussed in the wider context of the mother–child relationship, the breakdown of the family's hierarchical structure following divorce, and the relationship of these factors with the exertion of parental authority.     

Fatherhood: Comparison Between Divorced Custodial Fathers,Married Fathers,and Divorced Non-Custodial Fathers in Israel

Paternal involvement and acceptance were compared among 218 custodial fathers, 222 married fathers, and 105 divorced noncustodial fathers. Findings show that the custodial fathers were more involved with their children, coordinated less with their children’s mother, and viewed their children as more difficult than the other fathers. Two regression analyses were conducted. One revealed that greater paternal involvement was predicted by greater self-differentiation, greater sense of having received care from one’s own father, and a less avoidant caregiving disposition. The other showed that greater paternal acceptance was predicted by greater self-differentiation, greater sense of having received care from one’s own father, and a less anxious caregiving disposition. Finally, the findings show that coparenting, social support, and sense of the child as difficult moderated the associations between the fathers’ personal variables and their involvement, but not their acceptance.     

Marital Instability in Men from Intact and Divorced Families:

While researchers have understood the short-term effects of divorce and its harmful effects during childhood, the long- range implications, or effects in adulthood, have largely been ignored. The scant research available on adult children from divorce (ACDs) indicated the presence of long-term effects, with men suffering more effects than women. Theorists have suggested marital instability was transferred to offspring from parents, but were unclear on the mechanics of this process. This study sought to better understand the mechanics of the transmission process by determining whether three variables could help explain marital instability: interpersonal behavior, intimacy, and cognitions or injunctions, in married and divorced men from intact and divorced families of origin. The subjects were 151 male adults, aged 21-42 years, who com- pleted the Injunction Inventory, the Waring Intimacy Questionnaire, and Leary's Interpersonal Checklist. Multiple and one-way analysis of covariance on the data revealed little interaction between early family structure and marital status, but significant results were found which indicated differences between men from divorced families and men from intact families. Male ACDs (adult children of divorce) had a higher frequency of "Don't be close" injunctions, a guarded- hostile interpersonal style, and were maladjusted in responsibility. Intimacy did not differ between the groups.     

The Effects of Divorce on Children: Married and Divorced Parents' Perspectives

Three hypotheses, derived from the social psychology literature, regarding the impact of marital status history on parents' attitudes toward the impact of divorce on children were examined. Married parents (n = 118) were expected to report more negative effects of divorce on children than divorced parents (n = 114); mothers and fathers whose own parents remained married were expected to rate the impact of divorce more negatively than mothers and fathers whose parents had divorced; and, divorced parents who initiated their own divorce were expected to report fewer negative effects of divorce on children than parents who did not initiate divorce. All three hypotheses were supported, extending the self- and vested-interest research to the divorce literature.     

Infant-Mother Attachment in Separated and Married Families

Abstract

Two contrasting predictions about the effects of parental marital separation on infants' attachment to their mothers are considered. The “early adversity” hypothesis suggests that infants will be adversely affected by negative life events and thus will develop anxious attachments to their mothers. The “protective” hypothesis claims that infants are resistant to stressors because of their limited cognitive ability, and therefore will be no more likely to develop anxious attachments than other infants. Results from 76 mother-child pairs in the “strange situation” procedure (assessing infantmother attachment) supported the “protective” hypothesis in that there were no significant differences between infants in two marital status groups. The role of marital status versus unfavorable life events in affecting children's development was discussed.     

Expenditure Patterns of Divorced Single-Mother Families and Two-Parent Families in South Korea

This study examines differences in expenditure patterns between divorced single-mother families and two-parent families in South Korea. Data were obtained from 353 families living in Seoul: 51 divorced single-mother families and 302 two-parent families.Expenditure patterns are considered as the budget share of each given expenditure in addition to the elasticities of those expenditures. The budget shares for food consumed at home, shelter, and education of divorced single-mother families are substantially higher than those of two-parent families. Income elasticities of expenditures of divorced single-mother families for education and for apparel and shoes are more elastic than for two-parent families, while food eaten at home and entertainment are less elastic. The results of this study indicate that there are significant differences in the patterns of consumption expenditures between divorced single-mother families and two-parent families.     

Acceptance and Caregiving of Married and Divorced Custodial Mothers and Fathers

The study examined whether differences in gender and family status affect parental caregiving disposition and acceptance of children among parents of children in mid-childhood. The number of participants were 122 divorced-custodial fathers, 107 married fathers, 85 divorced-custodial mothers, and 82 married mothers (n?=?398). A comparison among four groups of parents revealed the following gender differences: mothers scored higher on anxious caregiving and parental acceptance than fathers, and lower on avoidant caregiving. Regression analysis indicated that the higher the caregiving avoidance or anxiety, the lower the parental acceptance. Family status moderated parental acceptance, as avoidant caregiving was associated with reduced parental acceptance among married parents, but not among divorced custodial parents. The finding that avoidant caregiving was not associated with reduced acceptance among divorced custodial parents implies that their parental acceptance behaviors toward their children are affected by their parental status as sole custodial parent, and the associated responsibilities, rather than by gender.     

Adolescents from Divorced Families and Their Best-Friend Relationships

The present study examines the quality of best-friend relationships of adolescent children of divorced parents. Two theoretical frameworks are employed: Sullivan's "substitution" theory, and Freud's "object-relation" theory. The findings of the study show that parental divorce (1) has no effect on either having a best-friend relationship or satisfaction with social life; (2) has only a slight effect on the perception of the best-friend relationship; (3) has a somewhat greater effect on the experience of the best-friend relationship. These results are interpreted and shown to lend some support to the object relation theory.     

Cohesion and Adaptability in Post-Divorce Remarried and First Married Families:

Past research indicates that post-divorce remarried families report lower levels of family cohesion and adaptability than do first married families, but differences are not found in the adjustment of children or satisfaction with the marital relationship. The present study examined the possibilities that (a) lower levels of cohesion and adaptability may be optimal for remarried families, (b) cohesion and adaptability may be less important for coping and stress in stepfamilies than in first married families, and (c) patterns of relationships between the two sets of variables may be different for the two family types. A series of analyses relating cohesion and adaptability to family stress and coping styles revealed that high levels of family cohesion and adaptability are equally if not more important for stepfamilies as they are for biological families in reference to family stress and coping.     

Grandchildrens' Perceptions of Grandparental Support in Divorced and Intact Families

This study was designed to examine adult grandchil- drens' views of relations with their grandparents by comparing the oerceotions of subiects from divorced and mtact families. Self-rewrt ~uestiomaires were administered to 327 college students, asking hem to evaluate the role behaviors and role meanings of their nrandvarents and other grandparent figures and the imporl&ce of each-relationship to the subject. Few significant differences were found between sub- jects from divorced and intact families, indicating parental divorce was not a strong determinant of the subjects' perceptions of relations with their grandparents. Several findings indicate (hat the subjects from divorced families perceived greater support from grandparent figures than subjects from intact families.     

Correlates of Psychosocial Adjustment in Adolescents From Divorced Families

The study was designed to identify the factors which predict psychological adjustment among 15 to 18-year-old adolescents whose parents have divorced. Psychosocial adjustment was assessed by the Youth Self Report (Achenbach, 1978, 1991). Predictors included the type of custody arrangement, the psychological adjustment of the custodial parent, factors affecting the adolescent's relationship with the non-custodial parent, demographic characteristics, stressful life events during the two years following the divorce, availability of social support, and family adaptability and cohesion. New York City high school students from divorced (n = 221) and intact (n = 215) families completed the survey instrument. Results indicated that the adjustment of adolescents from divorced families was related positively to the psychological adjustment of the custodial parent, the availability of social support, and family adaptability and cohesion. Adolescent adjustment was related negatively to the degree to which the parents displayed anger or physical abuse before and after the separation, and to the number of stressful life changes following the divorce. The factors predicting the adjustment of adolescents from intact families were similar.     

Violence Against Separated,Divorced, and Married Women in Canada, 2004

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine violence against separated, divorced, and married women using Statistics Canada's 2004 Statistics Canada. 2004. Divorces. The Daily, May 4: 1–5.  [Google Scholar] General Social Survey. Based on a subsample of 6,716 heterosexual women (429 separated; 614 divorced; 5,673 married), available risk markers were examined in the context of a nested ecological framework. Consistent with past research, the results indicated that there may be differences in the dynamics of violence across the 3 groups. Separated women reported 7 times the prevalence of violence and divorced women reported twice the prevalence of violence than married women in the year prior to the study. Young age was an important predictor of violence for separated and divorced women. Unemployment and the presence of children of the ex-partner were important predictors for divorced women. Patriarchal domineering and sexually proprietary behaviors were strong predictors of violence for married women. The results suggested the possibility that motives for postseparation violence tend to differ depending on whether one is separated or divorced. Future research is warranted to uncover these potentially differing dynamics of risk.     

Coparenting in Intact and Divorced Families: Its Impact on Young Adult Adjustment

ABSTRACT

This study examined the potential mediating roles of coparenting and parenting practices on the relationship between marital status and young adult adjustment in intact and divorced or separated families. Participants were 340 undergraduate students from intact and divorced or separated families who completed questionnaires that tapped a range of adjustment factors (mental health, fear of intimacy, work ethic, self-esteem, delinquency) along with coparenting and parenting practices. Data were analyzed via structural equation modeling. Results suggest that coparenting and parenting practices, including parental hostility, parental cooperation, mothering, and fathering, are important partial mediators of the relationship between marital status and young adult adjustment. Intervention and legal implications are discussed.     

Deconstructing the Sibling Correlation: How Families Increase Inequality

Matched data for parents and siblings in Israel were used to decompose the sibling correlation in schooling and earnings into four components: (a) A “genetic” component induced by inherited ability, (b) Correlated effects induced by sharing common parents, (c) Contextual effects due to common ethnicity, and (d) An endogenous component induced by interactions between siblings. Most of the sibling correlation is due to the latter. Parents have little to do with the sibling correlation. The sibling interaction coefficients for schooling and earnings were positive, but it was considerably greater in the case of schooling. It was shown that sibling interaction increases inequality, especially in the case of schooling. However, parent–children interaction contributes little to inequality.

Differences Between College Students from Divorced and Intact Families

We examined five hundred college students from intact and divorced families along several measures of adjustment. Further, comparisons within the divorce group were made across gender and number of years since the divorce with the covariates of parents' marital happiness prior to the divorce, remarriage, and who the student lived with after the divorce statistically controlled. Measures of adjustment included sexual behavior, attitudes toward marriage, depression, self-esteem, and general psychological functioning (pathology, anxiety, expression). Multivariate analyses of variance indicated that students from divorced families had significantly more sexual partners and more negative attitudes toward marriage than students from intact families. In addition, a significantly higher percentage of women from divorced families had had sexual intercourse as compared to women from intact families. Finally, women with parents that divorced within the past year were significantly more expressive than women with parents that divorced more than five years ago and more expressive than men with parents that had divorced within the past five years. The results are discussed in terms of the resolution of intimacy issues for college students with divorced parents and implications are drawn.     

Married to the Military: Filipinas Negotiating Transnational Families

Women migrating transnationally as "entertainers" within Asia are particularly exposed to the possibility of forming relationships in these transnational sites. This is because the nature of their work, which entails chatting and dancing with customers and various forms of sexual labour, including fondling, kissing and sometimes sex, often leads to romantic liaisons with customers in the clubs where they are deployed. This possibility is even more pronounced for women who are trafficked (that is, deceptively recruited and employed) as entertainers, as they often counter the severe vulnerabilities associated with their positions by relying on customers-cum-boyfriends for support and assistance. Marriage is one common result of these liaisons. This paper considers the multiple impacts of such marriages for foreign female entertainers on family. I focus particularly on the ways such marriages can both constrain existing family responsibilities and facilitate new ones. The paper draws on the case of Filipinas married to American soldiers in Korea as a case study for discussion. I suggest that migrant women who become involved in such marriages are often pulled between the potentially conflicting demands of old (within their home countries) and new (with their American soldier husbands) family ties and responsibilities. I also suggest that these women's new families, whilst outwardly displaying elements of traditional gendered household roles and structures, are often characterised by long absences of the husband (to other countries or within the country of residence) and long-term patterns of transnational migration that can have a highly disruptive impact on family arrangements.     

Correlates of Self-Esteem Among College Students Offspring from Divorced Families:

This research examines whether factors found to be relevant to children's adjustment following parental divorce do indeed have a significant relationship to the self-esteem of young adult college students who have experienced parental divorce during childhood or adolescence. These factors include gender, social class, age at the time of parental divorce, remarriage of the custodial mother, the amount of contact between the non-residential father and his offspring, and feelings of closeness between the non-residential father and his offspring. The results of a multiple regression analysis indicate that contact with the non-residential father has a significant impact on the self-esteem of female offspring, whereas the age at the time of parental divorce is the most sigmticant factor contributing to the self-esteem of male offspring. Results also indicate there is no significant difference in self-esteem levels among male and female offspring from divorced families.     

The Importance of Sibling Relationships in Separated Families

There is emerging substantial evidence that sibling relationships exert a powerful facilitating influence on the development of children. Siblings can provide mutual support and nurturance, role models and family structure. Children from divorcing families have to deal with a major restructuring of the family and multiple losses, but their parents are often unable to provide the support and structure the children need. Sibling bonds may meet some of these needs and reassure children of the ultimate survival of a family life. The literature is briefly reviewed and two sibships are described.     

Differences Between High School Students from Intact and Divorced Families

Previous research on the effects of divorce has focused primarily on young children. In the present study, 110 high school students from divorced or intact families were administered a variety of questionnaires to ascertain any differences between students from the two family situations. The questionnaires focused on the following areas: beliefs about divorce, family environment, interparental con- flict, and self-depiction. No significant differences were found be- tween the divorced and intact groups. These results suggest that teens from divorced families are as well-adjusted as teens from intact fami- lies. A number of correlations were found to be significant, implying that it is the family environment, not the process of divorce, that influences children's adjustment.